Apparatus and method for producing display illusions

ABSTRACT

The invention is an apparatus and method for producing illusionary display effects. The device or apparatus includes a cabinet having doors and provided with concealed means and a passageway with trap doors whereby a person can enter the cabinet unknown to an audience. The passageway is concealed by members mirrored on both sides positioned between the cabinet and a backdrop. The mirror surfaces are positioned to provide for equal angles of incidence and reflection between the mirrors and adjacent reflected surfaces whereby the space between the cabinet and the backdrop appears to be vacant. There is provided also a robot head for which the head of a person is substituted. A girl assistant enters the cabinet through the concealed passageway and stands in a concealed position. The magician places the robot head in position where it is grasped and held by the girl. A globe with a cutout is placed over the head and manipulated to momentarily conceal it, at which point the girl removes it, and substitutes her own, after which she steps forth, the disembodied head apparently having become embodied.

United States Patent m1 3,612,516

[72] Inventor James Mark Wilson OTHER REFERENCES ggg Callf- Magic- By A,A. Hopkins, pp. 48- 50 and 69. Published by Munn & Co., Publishers,Scientific American Office, New 133%; York. 1906 Copy in Group 330Unit334 [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Primary Examiner-Anton O. OechsleAssistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney-J-lerzig & Walsh [54] A RATAND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ABSTRACT: The invention is an apparatus andmethod for DISPlJAY ILL I producing illusionary display effects. Thedevice or apparatus 3 lalIn 4 Dra g lg includes a cabinet having doorsand provided with concealed 52 us. Cl 272/9 means and a passageway withwhereby a [51] Int. Cl [50] Field of Search A63j 5/00 enter the cabinetunknown to an audience. The passageway is 272/9 10 concealed by membersmirrored on both sides positioned 13 25, 21 8 8 M, 8 N, 8 D between thecabinet and a backdrop. The mirror surfaces are positioned to providefor equal angles of incidence and reflec- [56] References Cited tionbetween, the mirrors and adjacent reflected surfaces UNIT STATES PATENTSwhereby the space between the cabinet and the backdrop apears to bevacant. There is rovided also a robot head for 64l79 4/1867 wnhmgton272,9 v vhich the head of a person is substituted. A girl assistantenl46293 1/1874 Tobm 272,13 ters the cabinet through the concealedpassageway and stands 872,305 1 1/1907 Purpura 272/25 l 760 842 5/1930Greenwood 272 in a concealed position. The magician places the robothead in position where it is grasped and held by the girl. A globe witha FOREIGN PATENTS cutout is placed over the head and manipulated tomomentari- 22J80 1399 Great Britain 2/l 3 ly conceal it, at which pointthe girl removes it, and substitutes 10,401 1915 Great Bfiminm 272/9 Iher own, after which she steps forth, the disembodied head ap- 443,6683/1936 Great Britain 272/13 parently having become embodied.

PATENTEUUCT 12 l97| Amy/m: 14/11:: Max a/Aua/v APPARATUS AND METHOD FORPRODUCING DISPLAY ILLUSIONS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to an illusionary display apparatus and method whereby afascinating and entertaining illusion is produced. In the exemplarypreferred form of the invention the illusion is that of a disembodiedrobot head made to appearto become a part of an animate body, or on theother hand, the disembodied head made to appear to become a part of anintegrated robot figure made animate.

The illusion or display that is produced has utility purely from anentertainment standpoint as a stage effect. It has a very distinctutility, however, as a sales aid, the display being associated with ormade in connection with the sale and advertising of products to bemarketed.

In a preferred exemplary form of the apparatus and technique ofeffecting the display, a cabinet is provided having doors and a trapdoor concealed by mirrors whereby a person may obtain access to thecabinet, unknown to the viewing audience. A robot head is provided andthe head of a female person is substituted for the robot head. Thecabinet is provided at the top with an enclosure for'the head of therobot, and a globe having a cutout in the front is provided, which ismanipulated at the time of substitution of the head the real person forthe robothead in a manner to conceal the substitution.

A concealed passage is providedbetween the cabinet and an openingthrough a backdrop or screen, the passage or passageway being concealedby a unique improved arrangement of concealing members which aremirrored on both sides. Wing members extend out at an angle from theinner extremities of the mirrors (at the backdrop surface). The wingmembers are surfaced identically with surfaces of trap doors at the .end'of the passageway, the relative angles being such that the angles ofincidence and of reflection of the light are equal. As a result the viewof the apparatus either from outside of the cabinet or through it is ofreflections that make it appear that the cabinet is simply spaced fromthe backdrop.

The technique involved in creating the display with the apparatusdescribed is that at the outset a robot head is on a pedestal adjacentto the cabinet. The operator or magician then opens the cabinet doorsdisplaying it to be empty. After the doors are closed the robot head isplaced over an opening in the cabinet top and the girl assistantsecretly enters the cabinet through the trap doors. She stands in thecabinet in a crouched position in the enclosure and the robot head isgrasped and held by the girl. The magician then places the globe overthe robot head. In doing so it is necessary to turn it so that thecutout is at the back, the front side is momentarily concealing therobot head. During this moment the girl snatches the robot head away andsubstitutes her own head. The magician turns the globe around so thecutout is at the front exposing the girls head similarly garbed inhelmet and goggles. The cabinet doors are then opened and the girl stepsforth, the robot head now apparently embodied as a part of a naturallive being. The display may be varied to make it appear that the robothead becomes embodied in a robot figure which becomes animate.

In the light of the foregoing, the primary object of the invention is toprovide a novel and unique illusionary display apparatus and method ortechnique useful for purposes of entertainment and in connection withadvertising and sale of products. More particularly the object is toprovide an illusionary display of this type in which a disembodied robotmember (such as a head) is made to appear to become embodied in a liveanimate being.

Another object is to provide a display as in the foregoing includingplacement of the head in position in the cabinet; substitution of thehead of a live person for the robot head; and manipulation of aconcealing member, preferably a globe with a cutout placed over the headto conceal the substitution.

Another object is to provide a display as referred to in the foregoingobject including a cabinet having concealed means whereby a person mayobtain access unseen to the cabinet so that the persons head may besubstituted for the robot head. A corollary object is to provideimproved concealing means, comprising members mirrored on both sides toconceal a passageway between them by reflecting surfaces making itappear that it is impossible for anyone to enter or exit from thecabinet without being seen by the audience.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the apparatus of a preferred form of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the upper part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;I

FIG. 4 is a view like that of FIG. 3 illustrating the manipulation ofthe globe in the upper part of the apparatus.

Referring now to the various figures of the drawings, FIG. 1 is apictorial view illustrating how the apparatus appears on a stage or thelike in front of a backdrop or partition as designated at 10. Theapparatus comprises a generally rectilinear cabinet or enclosure 12 asmay be seen in cross section in FIG. 2. This cabinet is of a size that aperson can stand upright in it. It has sidewall 14 and 16, a floor 18and at the back is provided an opening 19 providing for access to thecabinet. At the front the cabinet has hinged doors 26 and 28.

The cabinet is positioned on the stage or platform outwardly from thebackwall or backdrop 10 as may be seen in FIG. 2. Extending between therear comer edges of the cabinet 12 and the backwall or backdrop 10 aremirrors 32 and 34 which have a slight slant from the back corner edgesof the cabinet 12 as shown. These members are mirrors on both sides, themirrors on the inner sides being designated 32' and 34'. It will beobserved that the backwall or backdrop 10 is made up of, by way ofexample, upright panels as designated at 36 and preferably the surfacesof these panels are of a uniform shade of color throughout. Numerals 40and 42 designate panels positioned at angles as shown with respect tothe members 32 and 34 the inner edges of these members being positionedat the points at which the mirrors 32 and 34 come into contact with thebackwall or backdrop 10. Between these points is an opening orpassageway through the backwall or backdrop 10 adjacent to trap doors 44and 45. The surfaces of members 40 and 42 are identical with the surfaceof trap doors 44 and 45. Members 46 and 47 are clear glass panels whichmay be framed, positioned as shown between the outer ends of wingmembers and side portions of cabinet 12. It may be observed that anaudience positioned in front of the display looking towards the backwallor backdrop l0 sees reflections in the mirrors 32 and 34 of the surfacesof members 40 and 42 which surfaces are identical in appearance withthat of trap doors 44 and 45, that is, having the same shading of colorand the appearance of vertical panels. The viewing audience, therefore,is unaware of the presence of the mirrors 32 and 34, the appearance orillusion being that the audience sees a surface like that of the doors44 and 45 completely across and behind the cabinet 12. In other words,the opening closed by doors 44 and 45 is concealed and the presence ofthe trap doors is unknown to the viewing audience. At times when doors26 and 28 of the'cabinet are open (and doors 44 and 45 closed) theaudience can see through opening 19, now seeing reflected images of theinner surfaces of doors 44 and 45 which are identical with surfaces 40and 42 reflected in mirrors 32' and 34'.

At the upper part of the cabinet 12 is an enclosure as I designated at50 having a backwall 52, sidewalls 54 and 56, and top wall 60. Thesidewalls are arcuately cut out as shown at 62 and 64, the front edge ofthe top wall 60 being arcuate as shown at 66 and a row of bulbs asdesignated at 70 being provided along this edge.

The top wall of the cabinet 12 as designated at 72 has an opening 74 init, this top wall, of course, being the bottom of the enclosure 50. Theopening 74 is adapted to receive the neck of a robot figure or of ahuman person as will be described.

Numeral 76 designates a globe preferable made of material such asfrosted glass having a cutout in one side as designated at 78.

Numeral 82 designates an inanimate robot head. The head 82 is also madedistinctive in that it wears a masklike helmet 86 with goggles 88 thatare preferably dark. As will be described presently in connection withthe technique of effecting the display illusion, a human, that is, alive girl is used in the display and her head is garbed or clothedexactly resembling that of the robot head. She wears a correspondinghelmet or mask 86 and goggles 88 so that the appearance of the head ofthe live girl and the robot head are identical.

Numeral 92 designates a pedestal stem and it has an extending platform94 on which the robot head 82 can be placed when not in use.

Next will be described the technique of effecting or producing theillusion or display, which is that of causing the robot head to appearto come alive, that is, to become animate.

At the outset the robot head is in a position as shown on the platform94. The magician or operator now opens the cabinet doors 26 and 28displaying the cabinet 12 empty and unoccupied. The cabinet doors arethen closed and the magicians female assistant then enters the cabinetthrough trap doors 44 and 45 occupying it in a crouched position asshown in FIG. 1.

The magician now places the head 82 into position in enclosures 50 overopening 74. At this time the girl in the cabinet reaches up and holdsthe head in position. The magician or operator now places globe 76 inposition in enclosure 50 and to put it over the head the cutout 78 mustbe turned around to the back out of view of the audience thus obscuringthe robot head. At this moment the girl in cabinet 12 snatches the head82 away and substitutes her own, handing head 82 back through trap door44 and 45. The magician now imparts an angular turn to the globe 76 in adirection as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4 bringing cutout 78 backinto view and exposing to view the similarly garbed head of the realgirl. The doors 26 and 28 can now be opened and the live girl can stepforth. The illusion is that of a disembodied robot head now actively apart of an animate person. Variations of the display are possible suchas for example, making it appear that the live girl is a robot undermechanical control.

From the foregoing those skilled in the art will understand andappreciate the nature and construction of the invention objectives themanner in which it achieves and realizes the objectives set forth in theforegoing and the advantages that are apparent from the detaileddescription.

The form of the invention as disclosed herein is exemplary and issubject to variations in the apparatus as well as in the method and isintended to be illustrative, the invention to be accorded the full scopeof the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A display apparatus for producing illusions comprising thecombination of a backdrop; a cabinet spacedly positioned from and infront of said backdrop, said cabinet having door means at the front andan opening through the rear; mirror means joining the rear of thecabinet and the backdrop and forming a passage between the rear of thecabinet and the backdrop, said mirror means being so positioned that thereflected backdrop observed in the mirror means by an audience in frontof said cabinet creates the illusion either with the door means closedor through the opening in the rear of the cabinet with the door meansopen that the mirrored passage is not present but that the cabinet isonly spacedly positioned in front of said backdrop; an opening in thetop wall of the cabinet; door means in the backdrop directly behind thecabinet; and portable covering means adapted to be placed over saidopenin in the top wall of said cabinet.

2. A display appara us in clalm 1 wherein the portable covering means isa hollow element having a cutout connecting the sidewall and bottomthereof.

3. A display apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the hollow element is aglobe.

4. A display apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the globe is made offrosted glass.

5. A display apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the backdrop on each sideof the cabinet includes wing members angled forwardly from theirjuncture, with the mirror means.

6. A display apparatus as in claim 5 including clear glass panelspositioned between the sides of the cabinet and the extrernities of thewing members.

7. A display apparatus as in claim 1 including an open enclosureoverlying the top of the cabinet, the enclosure having sidewalls, abackwall, and a top wall.

8. The method of producing an optical illusion, comprising the steps of:

opening and exhibiting the interior of an empty cabinet to an audience;

closing said cabinet to conceal the interior thereof from said audience;

secretly introducing a living person into said cabinet;

placing an inanimate object, substantially identical in appearance to aportion of said living person, over an opening in said cabinet;

placing a hollow cover having a side opening over said inanimate objectand rotating the same to conceal said ob ject from the audience, andwhile so concealed moving said object through said opening into saidcabinet and projecting said portion of said living person through saidopening to the position previously occupied by said object; and

exposing said complete living person, including said portion, to theaudience.

1. A display apparatus for producing illusions comprising thecombination of a backdrop; a cabinet spacedly positioned from and infront of said backdrop, said cabinet having door means at the front andan opening through the rear; mirror means joining the rear of thecabinet and the backdrop and forming a passage between the rear of thecabinet and the backdrop, said mirror means being so positioned that thereflected backdrop observed in the mirror means by an audience in frontof said cabinet creates the illusion either with the door means closedor through the opening in the rear of the cabinet with the door meansopen that the mirrored passage is not present but that the cabinet isonly spacedly positioned in front of said backdrop; an opening in thetop wall of the cabinet; door means in the backdrop directly behind thecabinet; and portable covering means adapted to be placed over saidopening in the top wall of said cabinet.
 2. A display apparatus in claim1 wherein the portable covering means is a hollow element having acutout connecting the sidewall and bottom thereof.
 3. A displayapparatus as in claim 2 wherein the hollow element is a globe.
 4. Adisplay apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the globe is made of frostedglass.
 5. A display apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the backdrop on eachside of the cabinet includes wing members angled forwardly from theirjuncture, with the mirror means.
 6. A display apparatus as in claim 5including clear glass panels positioned between the sides of the cabinetand the extremities of the wing members.
 7. A display apparatus as inclaim 1 including an open enclosure overlying the top of the cabinet,the enclosure having sidewalls, a backwall, and a top wall.
 8. Themethod of producing an optical illusion, comprising the steps of:opening and exhibiting the interior of an empty cabinet to an audience;closing said cabinet to conceal the interior thereof from said audience;secretly introducing a living person into said cabinet; placing aninanimate object, substantially identical in appearance to a portion ofsaid living person, over an opening in said cabinet; placing a hollowcover having a side opening over said inanimate object and rotating thesame to conceal said object from the audience, and while so concealedmoving said object through said opening into said cabinet and projectingsaid portion of said living person through said opening to the positionpreviously occupied by said object; and exposing said complete livingperson, including said portion, to the audience.